As I understand it, the heating of the brass does the softening and unlike hardening and tempering steel, the quench does nothing more than prevent the heat from migrating far enough to soften the head of the case.
I have used Sharpsman's process to anneal cases, but without the gloves. If the heat is transmittted as far as the head, enough so that it becomes hot enough to be uncomfortable to the fingers, the neck is way too hot. Annealing this way may even soften brass a bit much, but it is workable. You want to get the necks about the color of a very ripe black cherry with no incandescence. Hold the flame of the torch about 3/4" back of the mouth and angle the flame toward the mouth while rotating the case between you thumb and index finger. While the water quench is unnecessary, I find it easier and faster to pitch the cases into a bucket of water (helps with the soft landing for the newly softened cases) than to try to set them on board without having them tip over onto and sear the fingers that so recently and gently ministered unto them. Good luck
ps, oh, by the way, this process is what I have used on Starline cases for my .45-2.6"; Norma cases have not seemed to need annealing.
Smokin
Member in tall standing of the Frozen Tundra Chapter, Flat Earth Society.
thanks ,, after I posted I realized that I was thinking red hot vs just "hot" ,, I've been annealing copper for many years (head gaskets on my drag bikes)
Do not make this harder, simple way=stand brass in a pan of water about 1 inch or more depending in the length of the case. Heat case mouth moving flame around untill cherry read and tip case over into water. Finished.
Eric
That is the method that I was told to use a long time ago. And generaly it works. But I have run into situations were that method makes the brass too soft, especialy if its thin, and when you run the case over the expander it can cause the brass to collapse. That is why its better to bring the temp of your brass up to where it just starts to glow in a dimmly lit room. That way it will withstand the forming operation. I collapsed some WW .45-70 cases by over heating them when they were annealed.
Regards, Dave
" I love a good gun, for it makes a man feel independant and prepared, for either war or peace".
David Crockett 1834
Not sure but I think Kelley O. has a Ken Light also.
I'll say this, equip it with two good quality propane (don't use map gas or you will just end up with puddles of brass under your machine) torches, get the feel of adjusting a proper flame and positioning them and then go to town. For mine I got a wheel for .45 calibre which will of course do all of the .45 cases and a wheel for .50 calibre, which will do my .50/90 and .50/70 come the day I have a need for that. I don't think this wheel will do .50BMG, but then I'm not sure and I don't care. Set this machine up and go to town. I like to buy my brass 1k at a time. Annealing that much brass by the old heat and dunk method is, shall we say time consuming and tedious. With Ken Light's machine it is a breeze. As far as I am concerned it paid for itself with the first batch of brass.
Good luck
waiting for my engraving order kit
